General names
This list should be regarded as being 'in beta'. Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Pronunciation still needs fine-tuning. Comments and corrections welcome.
Unlike English, Mongolian has a range of words referring to the owls, but the precise referents can be hard to pin down.
The general word for 'owl' is Шар шувуу shar shuvuu meaning 'yellow bird'. Owls with ears are known as Ууль uul'. The word Бэгбаатар begbaatar is another commonly used name for certain types of owl, ranging from the Short-eared Owl to the Wood Owls to the Hawk Owls. The meaning of бэг beg is unclear (it is found only in this name), but баатар baatar means 'hero' and is a common component of men's names in Mongolia.
The Scops Owls are known as Орволго orovlog (or Улаавар орволго ulaavar orovlog 'reddish orovlog'). A name which appears to apply mainly to the Long and Short-eared Owls is Холслог kholslog. Mongolian also has the term Ариан arian, now applied to the Boreal Owl. Small owls are known as Бүгээхэй bügeekhei, a name probably related to the colour бүгээ bügee, which is a light grey. Гуйванга guivang or Гуйванг guivang (also Гуйвангуу guivanguu) is described as a smaller kind of owl living in marshy areas.
Finally, there is the term Явлиг yavlig or Явлаг yavlag (Classical yabalaG), which also refers a smaller kind of owl. However, this name is also applied to some diurnal raptors, notably the Osprey, and is found in names like Явлаг галуу yavlag galuu (the Osprey), Явлаг сар yavlag sar (also the Osprey), and Явлаг элээ yavlag elee (literally 'yavlag kite', identity unclear, possibly also the Osprey). In reference to owls, the name is thus often seen in the form Явлаг ууль yavlag uul' ('yavlag owl').
Regularised names:
The official usage of names for strigid genera is as shown below:
| Genus |
Old |
New |
| Otus (Scops Owls) |
Орволго orovlog |
Орволго orovlog |
| Nyctea (Snowy Owl) |
Ууль uul' |
Уульж uul'j |
| Bubo (Eagle Owl) |
Шар шувуу shar shuvuu |
Шаршувуу shar-shuvuu |
| Strix (Wood Owls) |
Бэгбаатар begbaatar |
Ууль uul' |
| Surnia (Hawk Owls) |
Ууль uul' |
Bэгбаатар begbaatar |
| Glaucidium (Pygmy Owls) |
Бүгээхэй bügeekhei |
Cүилг süilg |
| Athene (Little Owl) |
Бүгээхэй bügeekhei |
Бүгээхэй bügeekhei |
| Aegolius (Boreal Owl) |
Ууль uul' |
Ариан arian |
| Asio (Long-eared/Short-eared Owl) |
Ууль uul'; Гуйвангуу guivanguu; Явлиг yavlig |
Гуйванга guivang |
In choosing one name for each genus, the 2007 names make a number of changes, several of which are quite confusing.
The Wood Owls, which were formerly called Бэгбаатар begbaatar, have now been given exclusive rights to the name Ууль uul', previously a general name for eared owls. On the other hand, those types of owl formerly called Ууль uul' have now been split among Уульж uul'j (Snowy Owl), Bэгбаатар begbaatar (Hawk Owls), Ариан arian (Boreal Owl), and Гуйванга guivang (Asio). Apart from Уульж uul'j, most of these are existing names found in standard dictionaries. After this game of musical chairs, we find that the Wood Owls and the Hawk Owls have actually swapped names.
The term Бүгээхэй bügeekhei, formerly applied to several types of Pygmy Owls and Small Owls, is now restricted to the genus Athene, and the term Cүилг süilg (origin unknown, not found in dictionaries) introduced for Glaucidium.
One final problem with the strict application of the 'one genus, one name' rule, not apparent from this list, is that of Nyctea scandiaca, now classed as Bubo. Presumably the Snowy Owl will have to be renamed the Цагаан шаршувуу tsagaan shar-shuvuu, or 'white yellow-bird' when this change is recognised. The previous name, Цэвдгийн ууль tsevdgin uul'
'tundra owl', would probably have been better.
Species names
| STRIGINAE |
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
MONGOLIAN |
EAST ASIAN |
C. ASIAN |
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
| Otus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otus scops
 |
Eurasian scops owl
Eurasian scops-owl
or
Common scops-owl
Scops owl
European scops owl
Сплюшка,
Обыкновенная совка |
Ердийн орволго
jordin orovlog
'common scops-owl' |
Орволго
orovlog
'scops-owl' |
西红角鸮
xī hóng jiǎo-xiāo
'western red horned owl' (2, 4)
红角鸮
hóng jiǎo-xiāo
'red horned owl' (3)
 Note |
ヨーロッパコノハズク
(ヨーロッパ木の葉木菟)
Yōroppa ko-no-ha zuku
'European tree-leaf zuku' (some sources) |
|
Маубас жапалақ |
Otus sunia
|
Oriental scops owl
Oriental scops-owl
Уссурийския совка |
Ойн орволго
oin orovlog
'forest scops-owl' |
|
红角鸮
hóng jiǎo-xiāo
'red horned owl' (1, 2, 4, 5)
东方角鸮
dōngfāng jiǎo-xiāo
'eastern horned owl' (3) |
コノハズク
(木の葉木菟)
ko-no-ha zuku
'tree-leaf zuku' |
소쩍새
sojjeok-sae
'sojjeok bird' |
|
| Nyctea |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nyctea scandiaca
Note
|
Snowy owl
Белая сова,
Полярная сова |
Цагаан уульж
tsagaan uul'j
'white uul'j'
|
Цэвдгийн ууль
tsevdgin uul'
'tundra owl' |
雪鸮
xuě-xiāo
'snow owl' |
シロフクロウ
(白梟)
shiro-fukurō
'white owl' |
흰올빼미
huin-olppaemi
'white owl' |
Ақ жапалақ |
| Bubo |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bubo bubo
|
Eurasian eagle-owl
Northern eagle owl
Eagle owl
Great Eagle Owl
Филин,
Обыкновенный филин |
Эгэл шаршувуу
egel shar-shuvuu
'common yellow-bird'
|
Шар шувуу
shar shuvuu
'yellow bird' |
鵰鸮
diāo-xiāo
'eagle owl' |
ワシミミズク
(鷲木菟)
washi mimi-zuku
'eagle eared-zuku' |
수리부엉이
suri-bueongi
'eagle bueongi' |
Үкі |
| Strix |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Strix uralensis
|
Ural owl
Ural wood owl
Длиннохвостая неясыть,
Уралская неясыть |
Хув ууль
huv uul'
'earless owl'
|
Хув бэгбаатар
huv begbaatar
'earless beg-baatar' (baatar 'hero' = man's name) |
长尾林鸮
cháng-wěi lín-xiāo
'long-tailed forest owl' |
フクロウ
(梟)
fukurō
'owl' |
긴점박이올빼미
gin-jeombagi-olppaemi
'long dappled owl' |
Кезқұйрық жапалақ |
Strix nebulosa
|
Great grey owl
Dark wood owl
Бородатая неясыть |
Угалзан ууль
ugalzan uul'
'curved (?) owl'
|
Угалзан бэгбаатар
ugalzan begbaatar
'curved (?) beg-baatar' (baatar 'hero' = man's name) |
乌林鸮
wū lín-xiāo
'dark forest owl' |
カラフトフクロウ
(樺太梟)
Karafuto fukurō
'Sakhalin owl' |
|
Сақалды жапалақ |
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
|
| |
| SURNIINAE |
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
MONGOLIAN |
EAST ASIAN |
C. ASIAN |
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
| Surnia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Surnia ulala
|
Northern hawk-owl
Northern hawk owl
Hawk owl
Ястребинная сова |
Харсуун бэгбаатар
kharsuun begbaatar
'kharsuun beg-baatar' (baatar 'hero' = man's name)
|
Харсуун ууль
kharsuun uul'
'kharsuun owl' |
猛鸮
měng xiāo
'fierce owl' |
オナガフクロウ
(尾長梟)
o-naga fukurō
'long-tailed owl' |
긴꼬리올빼미
gin-kkori-olppaemi
'long-tailed owl' |
Қыршаға жапалақ |
| Glaucidium |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glaucidium passerinum
|
Eurasian pygmy owl
Eurasian pygmy-owl
Pygmy owl
Pygmy owlet
Воробьиный сычик |
Буслаг сүилг
buslag süilg
'buslag süilg'
|
Дорнодын бүгээхэй
dornodуn bügeekhei
'eastern bügeekhei'
Other: Буслаг бүгээхэй
buslag bügeekhei
'buslag bügeekhei |
花头鸺鹠
huā-tóu xiū-liú
'flower-head owlet' (1, 2, 3, 4)
花头侏鸺鹠
huā-tóu zhū xiū-liú
'flower-head pygmy owlet' (5) |
スズメフクロウ
(雀梟)
suzume fukurō
'sparrow owl' |
|
Байғызша |
| Athene |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Athene noctua
Athene noctus
|
Little owl
Домовый сыч,
Обыкновенный домовый сыч |
Хотны бүгээхэй
khotny bügeekhei
'khotni bügeekhei' |
Хотны бүгээхэй
khotny bügeekhei
'khotni bügeekhei' |
纵纹腹小鸮
zòng-wén-fù xiǎo-xiāo
'vertical pattern belly little owl' |
コキンメフクロウ
(小金目梟)
ko kin-me fukurō
'small golden-eyed owl' |
금눈쇠올빼미
geum-nun-soe-olppaemi
'golden-eyed small owl' |
Байғыз |
| Aegolius |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aegolius funereus
|
Boreal owl
or
Tengmalm's owl
Мохноногий сыч |
Савагт ариан
savagt arian
'yak-throat-haired ?? arian'
|
Савагт ууль
savagt uul'
'yak-throat-haired ?? owl' |
鬼鸮
guǐ xiāo
'demon owl' |
キンメフクロウ
(金目梟)
kin-me fukurō
'golden-eyed owl' |
|
Орман байғызы |
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
|
| |
| ASIONINAE |
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
MONGOLIAN |
EAST ASIAN |
C. ASIAN |
Latin |
English/Russian |
Mongolian |
Former & Other M |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Korean |
Kazakh |
| Asio |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asio otus
|
Long-eared owl
Ушастая сова |
Соотон гуйванга
sooton guivang
'sharp-eared guivang'
|
Явлиг ууль
yavlig uul'
'yavlig owl'
Other: Явлиг
yavlig
'yavlig'
Явлаг ууль
yavlag uul'
'yavlig owl' |
长耳鸮
cháng-ěr xiāo
'long-eared owl' |
トラフズク
(虎斑木菟)
tora-fu zuku
'tiger-striped zuku' |
칡부엉이
chirk-bueongi
'arrowroot (kudzu?) bueongi' |
Құлақты жапалақ |
Asio flammeus
|
Short-eared owl
Болотная сова |
Хулгар гуйванга
khulgar guivang
'crop-eared guivang'
|
Гуйвангуу ууль
guivanguu uul'
'guivanguu owl'
Other: Гуйвангуу
guivanguu
'guivanguu' |
短耳鸮
duǎn-ěr xiāo
'short-eared owl' |
コミミズク
(小木菟)
ko mimi-zuku
'small eared-zuku' |
쇠부엉이
soe-bueongi
'small bueongi' |
Саз жапалақ |
|
